A Song Never Forgotten
by Noerusan
Summary: We go back in time; 15 years ago. Where we will see a forgotten past of Rob Lucci before he was recruited in the CP9. The past we've never seen before and the boy we've never met.
1. Prologue

**Note: Critics, be gentle with me. I wrote this thing with my own bare hands and my own imagination and don't make it to hard.**

Yes, this is a One Piece fanfiction and the story goes to Rob Lucci. We all know the bastard so much and we know he's an ass, but how did he became like that I wonder. After all, everything must have an origin. The chapters will roll out soon.

**Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece and its characters, except the girl.**

* * *

**A Song Never Forgotten**

**Prologue**

St. Poplar, it is a beautiful day in this small town. The sun rays beamed through the town windows as mercenaries and citizens roam through. The town hospital; around 6 people outside are happy as their comrade shook the doctor's hand. These people are known as the CP9, who miraculously survived the 'Buster Call' that destroyed their stronghold 'Enies Lobby'. The man, no other than Rob Lucci, was the coldest and cruelest of all the CP9 but for now, he shook the doctor's hand to show gratitude for the first time in front of his comrades for healing and nursing him back to health.

"Well, it's good to have him back!" Kaku said holding a luggage bag in his left hand.  
"I'll say, we would have lost him if it wasn't for us, Cha-pa-pa!" Fukuro agreed.  
"Che! I'd rather see him dead than to see him live any day." Jyabura scoffed and muttered.  
"What's wrong, Jyabura?" Lucci approached as Hattori; his pigeon, perched on his right shoulder. "I thought you'd be happy to see me alive and well."  
"Don't rub it in your face!" Jyabura said "Remember, you owe us hell for putting you back into shape!"  
"Now, now you two. Lucci has just gotten out of the hospital and now you two wanted to fight?" Califa; the only female in the group said.  
"Yoi-yoi!" Califa-san is right! Is it very wrong to fight Lucci at this day?" Kumadori agreed on Califa's side.  
Jyabura backed off from Lucci.  
"We should go to a place where we can celebrate his return." Blueno said. "I suggest that we should go for a little bowling?"  
"That's a great idea!" Kaku smiled.

Then the rest of the CP9 chattered (exception Lucci) in agreement as they began to march to the town to bowl. They passed by few stores on their way when a sound caught Lucci's attention. A sound of a flute being played by its user.

"That song," Lucci said as the others go on without him "That couldn't be-''

He followed the music through an alley way between two stores as it continued playing, growing louder as he nears the source. When he reached the far right side of the alley, he saw a girl; around twelve playing a flute under a sun ray. She has short black hair that passed her ears, she wears a black sweat shirt with a black skirt underneath it and also a white blouse and she also wore black stockings and black shoes. She may have her back turned to him, but Lucci was surprised, as if he recognized her.

"Hi Lucci." The girl spoke after she stopped playing.  
"How inconvenient." Lucci sighed.  
"Surprised, huh?"  
"Not exactly. Considering our last mission together, I didn't expect you'll be… around."  
"Haha, very funny stone-face." The girl giggled "But I thought that you've never-''  
"Not so fast, you don't want to start a fight."  
"Oh?"  
"Of all the people in our homeland, you are the most naïve and optimistic. But that's not what an assassin should be."  
"You do know I have high hopes that you'll change. But no matter what, you've never even try to." She placed a strand of hair behind her left ear. "Am I right, Lucci?"  
"I had been trying to change. After all, you are the only person… who I can consider calling a 'friend'."

* * *

**Well I will hear your comments soon enough. See ya!**


	2. Chapter 1

**Note: All right, let me say one thing of this story. There is NO romance here, just a one-sided friendship.  
**

**Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece and its characters, except the girl... and the old geezers here. (Gousho and Gefron: Oi...)  
**

* * *

**A Song Never Forgotten**

**Chapter 1**

Turning back the clock, we go back to fifteen years ago. In an island somewhere in the Grand Line, children were training martial arts under the watchful eyes by their teachers. The island where they are is a training ground for the future assassins of the World Government. In a tall tower somewhere not far away from the training grounds, two old men, their names Gousho and Gefron, are in a vast room, looking out a wide window that gives view to the training field below.

"The children have been doing so well in their progress. It won't be long until they become the World Government's greatest heroes and fighters," Gousho said looking below from the window.

"Agreed, but learning the full mastery of the Rokushiki takes years of practice. We can't afford one student who has learned only four or three techniques. It will be disastrous," Gefron one stated with a serious expression.

"Ah don't worry, old friend. We have one student who is fully 'worthy' enough for the World Government; I believe you know him, am I right?"

"Ah of course... Him."

Then a sound of knocking is heard right behind the door. The two old men turned their heads toward the door.

"The door is open," Gousho said to the person behind the door.

The door opened and someone entered. This person walked inside the room and the old men were a bit surprised; the person was no other than a child in his early teen years. The boy stopped before the old men.

"Rob Lucci, what brings you here? Do you want a word with us?" Gefron asked.

"I do. A teacher reported to you that one of her students has gone missing, am I right?" thirteen-year old Lucci asked them.

"Well, true. She has gone long enough; her training period is almost over."

"May I ask why should I be the one to find her instead of getting someone else?" Lucci asked calmly, his eyes darkening a bit.

It was Gousho who answered. "Because we know that she looks up to you and she won't listen to anyone but you."

Lucci closed his eyes. "I'll search for her then."

"Please do."

Lucci then turns around and walks out the door, with Gefron closed the door carefully behind him.

--

Somewhere in a small forest not far from the tower, Lucci walks through the old trees and clumped bushes as he continued to search for the missing student.

"I know you're here, where are you?" he called out to her. "I don't have time for childish nonsense."

There was no response; he knew that the student is here. Where else could someone go beside the training grounds and the tower?

_For the love of…_ He thought.

"Ami… I don't have time for this. This is not the time to play hide and seek," he spoke in a deadly tone. "Why do you always goof arou-''

A shoe hit him on the back of the head before he can finish. This brought his attention and he goes to picks it up from the ground.

"You're so noisy…" A female voice said above.

He looked up and saw a girl sitting on a branch rubbing her eye as if she had just woke up. The girl had chin-length black hair and a mole under her left eye; she is wearing a white blouse with a black sweater-shirt over it with a lemon necktie, a short black skirt, black stockings and one black shoe.

"Why does it have to be you from the others?" the girl named Ami asked, peering down at him.

"You know that answer," he replied. "Now can you get down from there?"

"Okay, but you have to do something first."

"And what's that?"

She giggled a little until she jumped out from the tree ready to land below.

"CATCH ME!" She shrieked gleefully.

The boy didn't catch her in time because it came too fast. Instead she landed on top him as they fell on the ground.

"Can I have my shoe back? Ami asked him innocently.

"Get off…" Lucci growled and pushed Ami off from him. This girl drives him nuts and it's so damn hard to control his anger around her…

"You could at least use Geppou to get down, why didn't you do that?" he asked her after giving her shoe back and getting up.

"I just wanted to have fun with Lucci-sempai that's all."

"This isn't the time to fool around. You're late for your next class and training period is almost over. Didn't you know that?"

This takes a short while until Ami completely remembered.

"Aah! I completely forget!" she cried.

--

Inside an empty classroom, Ami is sitting on a desk chair alone with her face buried on the desk; muttering. It's already afternoon and the room is filled with red orange sun rays. A person approached beside her. Ami lifted her head to see who it is, and saw it was Lucci again. After seeing him, she buried her head again.

"I really messed up, didn't I?" she said, not looking at him.

"Yes, you did. The excuse of 'overslept last night' is not a very good one when it comes to the teacher," Lucci replied.

"But I did overslept! I wasn't able to get enough sleep." Ami protested angrily, turning to him. "If only the teacher wasn't a big meanie."

Lucci gave a frustrated sigh. How can the World Government recruit someone so naïve and childish like Ami? It's a mystery when it comes to someone like her.

"I spoke with the teacher," he said. "She said you can leave now."

She got up from the chair with a big smile on her face.

"Thanks for telling me!" Ami told him. "I hope I'll see you again during dinner!"

"Actually, I--'' He wasn't able to finish because she ran out the classroom without listening.

"See you, Lucci-sempai!"

Now he's alone in the room. Just before he could leave, he notices a small red notebook on Ami's desk. Was she that dumb to notice she had left it behind?

"That stupid girl…" Lucci said quietly, getting out the notebook and walking out of the room to find her.

* * *

**The mysterious girl is finally revealed! I know she's a bit childish and airheaded here but she has a much deeper personality than that and I will show her this side soon.**

**Leave a review and no flaming... please?  
**


	3. Chapter 2

**I am so so so so sorry that I should have uploaded this a long time ago!! You know those kind of people that can be a little busy that they will upload the stuff you want to see? I'm one of them, sort of...**

**Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece and its characters, except Ami, the three instructors and some minorities in this chapter.**

* * *

**A Song never Forgotten**

**Chapter 2:**

Lucci was on a chair inside the Library reading his notes, undisturbed from the other students. Right beside him is the small red notebook Ami accidentally left behind, hoping that he will find Ami and give it to her as soon as he can. A familiar student that he knew passed by him and Lucci has to ask him to know Ami's location.

"Oi, Fukuro" Lucci called without turning his back.

"Y-yeah?" The teenager Fukuro eagerly replied.

"Have you seen Ami lately?"

"Chapapa I haven't seen Ami-chan earlier, but I'll let you know as soon as I find her." He left so he won't disturb Lucci any further.

He sighed after he left. He can hear rummaging sounds further away from him in the Library, he may find it annoying but it doesn't matter to him. He will reach to her soon.

Wherever she is, she'd better be found. I still have her notebook… Lucci thought wile reading

His eyes traveled to the red notebook beside him as his mind wonders of the small thing left behind from her.

What is in that thing? Could it be something important?

Then his hand reached towards the small object. Just before he could open the notebook and read the pages inside, someone from the distance had thrown a hard-bounded 1000 paged Encyclopedia right on Lucci's head! He fell down due to the impact as the notebook flew away from his hand and fell on the ground.

**-5 minutes ago-**

Ami is rummaging through her bag and books as it created such a noise in the Library; she seemed worried as if she lost something. A girl with blonde hair and glasses approached to her to see what is going on with Ami.

"Ami? Is something wrong?" The girl asked her

"Kalifa, I couldn't find it! I could have sworn I placed it in my bag but it's not there!" Ami replied in an anxious tone

"What do you mean 'It'?" The girl named Kalifa asked her

"My notebook! I couldn't find my notebook anywhere!"

"Is it special to you?"

"Of course!" She replied loudly making the other people say 'shh' to her "It's my special notebook that has all my secrets in it. It's so sacred that I'd die if anyone reads it."

"Is it a diary?" Kalifa fixed her glasses, making Ami blush red. "Okay, so it's not."

After that, she retuned to her normal face.

"But do you remember what it looks like?" Kalifa asked her to help her

"Well, I remember it's a small red pocket notebook that is colored red and it has a picture of a panda head on it." Ami said in details.

"Something like that?" Kalifa is on the edge of a shelf looking at something

Ami followed Kalifa at the edge peering at a table that has her notebook on top and the notebook has all of the details what Ami said (The picture of the panda is the head of pandaman).

"My notebook! She said in glee.

Until the two girls found out that near to the notebook is Lucci reading! Ami felt like a sword just jabbed trough her (much in a comedic way if this were a comic)

"Wow, he's the lucky guy who found Cinderella's slipper (such a thing exists?!). Only it's a notebook instead of a shoe." Kalifa said teasing her

"What am I going to do? My lifeline is on his clutches and my secrets could get exposed!" Ami asked herself anxiously

"You can at least ask him"

"Too cliché" Ami quickly respond

"Uh oh." Kalifa observed

"What's wrong?" Ami asked her

"It looks like he's going to read it"

Ami was shocked when she saw that her notebook is being picked up slowly from Lucci's hand. She began to hesitate, she cannot let him see inside that notebook; until she go an idea after looking up on a shelf near her. She picked a hard-bounded 1000 page Encyclopedia and threw it Lucci's head! The aim was so good that he fell down due to the impact. This gave the opportunity for Ami to snatch it away from him before he could get up.

"SORU!" Ami said

Then she disappeared and in a high speed when she picked up the notebook from the ground as it disappeared like magic. The other children and people are nshocked and surprised of the stunt that Ami pulled on Lucci, even some of the students have to retreat to the farthese desks away from Lucci.

"Did you see that?! That girl must be nuts!!" A student said to another beside him.

"I'll say!" The other student replied. "No one has the guts to do something crazy to Rob Lucci!"

"She's dead..." Kalifa muttered when she had her palm on her face.

Then they heard Lucci getting up from the impact as the spectators began to back away a little to avoid him, he rubbed his forehead from the book that hit him on his head as his face is full of rage.

"Ami..."

* * *

"Thank goodness that he didn't read the pages inside," Ami said when she has the red notebook on her hands. "I could have lost this forever if he still kept this...

She still continues to walk through the long, empty corridoers as her footsteps broke the silence, until she stopped to read the pages inside the notebook of her's. This made the smile in her face disappear.

"It's not finished yet, I still need more time." She closed the notebook and walked further again. "Oh well, I bet he's going to wait for it a little longer. After all, I still need more practice."

Then she stopped and spotted an obsticale right infront of her farther away. She got surprised to find out it was Lucci right infront of her, but she felt guilty and scared because of the incident she caused to him in the Library. He is just standing there, as the lights in the corridor flicker creating shadows of two children.

"Oh, hi Lucci!" She said anxiously "Listen, about the library incident-"

"RANKYAKU!!" He didn't let Ami finish.

A slice of sharp wind formed from his leg as it head straight towards Ami, he really is furious! She is shocked and surprised when she saw the wind blade coming straight to her. With her critical thinking, she has to use a Rokushiki technique to save her life from being sliced from the blade.

"KAMI-E!!" She yelped

She used all of her strength to make her body limp in order to avoid the technique but she realized one thing: She did not do well in Kami-e! But even though she has little mastery on it, it manage to help her to avoid the attack. She fell on her bottom as she winced a bit. But when she has her eyes fixed on him again, she saw that he placed one step infront of her. Knowing what he is going to do next, she has to get away from him as possible or it will be her life.

"SORU!!" She cried as she disappeared like the one in the Library.

"Running away from me?" He said "SORU!"

The two are fast as lightning! It really is hard to tell who are the ones who are using the technique since there are two of them. Ami has to run away from him or he will catch her. Even though these two are both running. they failed to notice that on the corridors some people felt them passing through, especially some instructors.

"HEY! NO USING ROKUSHIKI OUTISDE THE TRAINING GROUNDS!!" One instructor said after they passed him.

Ami heard the man alright, but she is in a middle of a bad situation right now. She is feeling weary and she is in the verge of her limit, any minute now he will catch up to her. She is done for, that is until she felt something hard on her foot as if it made her trip. Ami then fell down as Lucci tumbled after her. The two are still on the ground from the fall and they are in a bit of pain. She forced her body tp get up and stand, her eyes saw the object that is responsible for her fall: a 2 x 4 piece of wood on the ground that was setted up to make them trip on purpose. But who?

"Looks like we got our runners. And there's two of 'em." Someone above them said.

"You two are in serious trouble this time." A second voice said after the first one.

Three people surrounded Lucci and Ami. One wears a pair orf black sunglasses with a black cowboy hat, another who is an old lady in her late 50's and the lasty one is a man wearing a black suit and glasses.

"Now, can you two behave like nice children and tell us what are you two doing in the first place?" The man removed his glasses so that he can wipe them with his hankerchief.

"Well, uh..." Ami hesitated "We..."

"We're waiting child." The old woman said.

Ami began to be nervous, she twiddled her fingers trying to answer until she heard someone's voice that is next to her.

"Ami attacked me in the Library," Lucci spoke with no emotions "Because of that she used Rokushiki techniqes when I tried to confront her."

"Is it true?" The man with the cowboy hat asked.

He nodded in reply, Ami felt so left out and betrayed when he explained the story to the instructors.

_Tattle tale..._She thought

"And we expected better of you," The man in the glassses said. "You two will be punished greatly."

"But for now, it's late. We will deal with your punishment later." The old woman replied after the man with the glasses. "You two are excused for now."

The two got up from th ground and walked away from the three instructors.

"Lousy little brats..." The one with the cowboy hat scoffed.

The two children still keep on walking, ignoring what the man said to them. Ami looked back to see if they are still there, but there is nothing but there is nothing there but the empty silence of the corridor.

"Are they gone?" Lucci asked her since she looked back.

"Yes." Ami replied to him.

They stopped walking. Silence is what filled the corridor and between them, like a wall.

Ami said after the short silence, "I'm sorry..."

"As if you are really sorry." Lucci said coldly.

Then he left her there all alone in the empty halls. Ami just stood there on the same spot, hurt in the inside. But she still held the same notebook on her hand.

* * *

**Glad that I god this one done. Now I only have until 7 chapters to go until I am done with this and plan for a sequel that is running on my head for a while. I hope you will read this and give me your opinion soon!**


	4. Chapter 3

**Finally got this thing done! I did have some help in the editing with my older sister but we've got this one ready to be opened to the internet public.**

**As you may know, the beginning may started off as Ami but the rest will be back to Lucci again after this one. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece and it's characters except Ami(she's still mine, begone BITCHES!!)  
**

**

* * *

A Song Never Forgotten**

**Chapter 3**

"And that's what he said to me." Ami said to Kalifa while they are having their lunch.

"I told you not to hang around with that guy. He's not the social type when it comes to people like you hanging around with him all the time," Kalifa told her as she pointed her fork at her. "I thought you know that already."

"I do. But ever since I got here 4 years ago, he is the first person I ever talked to."

"That's because you talked to him out of depression and loneliness. But that's what happened to a lot of kids when they got here at the first day," Kalifa pointed out. "Like me since 2 years ago, you 4 years ago and so on. Until we learned to get over it."

"I know…" Ami took a bite of her lunch but made a small wince when her hand picked up her fork.

Ever since the end of the 'Void Century' the World Government, 100 years later; would go into different countries in the Grand Line or the four Blues to search for worthy children who are in the age of 8 so they can take them away from their family and forced to become soldiers and warriors for the World Government.

But there are rules in the training that are meant to be unbroken. Those who tried to break a rule just the slightest bit are strictly punished, there are many punishments in different rules and they are leveled from highest to lowest. One of the lowest punishment of them all is to pour hot candle wax on the victim's hands so they will learned their mistake.

* * *

Inside a classroom, Ami is sitting down on her desk looking outside from the window. The horizon of the lush green trees and the blue thick line of the sea is all what her eyes can see. But the little girl isn't paying attention to the scenery; she is in her little world. Thinking all of the things that she had done yesterday, all of the things.

"Ami? Ami!" A voice of a little boy called her.

The sound brought her back to reality. She turned around to see who called her. A little boy who is younger than her is right beside her desk. He has a white cap on his head that covered his scruffy chatain hair, wears a black sweatshirt and black shorts that reached to his knees and he wore white sneakers.

One thing odd about this boy is that he has a long square nose.

"Ami, are you okay? Staring outt the window can get you caught." The little boy said with concern.

"Nah, I'm fine Kaku. I was just thinking." Ami replied.

"But where were you last night? I was waiting for you in our dorm, right? But when I was there, Kalifa told me that you weren't there. Your bed was empty when she saw it."

"Eh, sorry. I was quite busy with something…" She said with guilt. "But I promise. I will show up next time."

"Okay, then." Kaku said before he could leave. "I better get going, class will start soon."

"See you after school."

As Kaku left, the teacher came in as the other students go to their seats so they can begin the lesson. Rob Lucci passed by her to head for his seat, which is two seats behind her's. Usually Ami would say 'hi' to him as he would grunt in reply. But this time she ignored.

In fact she tried to get her notebook and pen from her suitcase. Despite the fact that Ami ignored him which made him relief, Lucci can tell that there is something wrong in her. But his mind was taken a different subject when the teacher began talking.

* * *

"Is that why you didn't show up last night?" Kaku asked her as he walked with Kalifa and Ami.

"Yeah, seems pretty stupid, huh?" Ami asked them.

"Too stupid." Kalifa arranged her glasses. "I hope you learned your lesson back there."

"No kidding." Ami remembered what happened last night and the punishment what she got this morning before classes would start, she started at her slightly red hands as they showed some signs of healing.

"Why don't you ignore him today as if he went off somewhere? He used to do that to you sometimes." Kaku suggested.

"Kaku, that's a dumb idea." Kalifa protested. "You know that Ami never ignores him. And even if she does, she will lose it until she will talk to him again as if it's been ages despite it's only a few minutes."

"No Kalifa, I'll go with it." Ami defended him. "It's just only one day, and I just want to try a life when he's not around all the time. How bad can it be?"

Then she accidentally bumped at someone in front of her without looking. The bump send her down on the ground where she landed on her bottom, Kalifa and Kaku rushed in to get Ami out of trouble.

The person that Ami bumped into by accident is Jyabura from the higher sections of the island. He saw Ami on the ground and knew it is her who bumped into him while he isn't looking.

"You again?" Jyabura muttered.

"She didn't see where she's looking, it's just a small accident. That's all." Kalifa explained to her.

"So there is your explanation, Jyabura." Kaku followed suit. "We're not here to fight, Ami is feeling down today."

"She is?" Jyabura questioned.

Then he looked at the three children and knew immediately that someone quite familiar is not with them.

He's not here… He thought with glee. "Oi, Ami…"

"What?" She questioned

"Did you two broke up?"

This made Ami, Kalifa, Kaku's jaws dropped when Jyabura asked the one question that is too early for them to know until they get older.

"Oi, Jyabura!! Ami and Lucci are not what you think!" Kaku protested. "Just because those two have known each other for so long, doesn't mean that they are that together!"

"Kaku is right! That is just a stupid question Jyabura!" Kalifa agreed.

"Bwahahaha!! I'm just kidding you guys! I like fooling around little kids like you." Jyabura roared with laughter.

"Jyabura, you big fat dummy!" Ami's face sparked red when she began to hit Jyabura with her fists repeatedly in a child-like way. "Does it look like I even like him? He's just a friend and nothing else! That's a stupid question! Too stupid!"

"Okay! Okay! I get it! I get it!" He tried to defend himself from her. "Stop it right now, AMI!"

He held her arms which caused Kaku and Kalifa anxious and Ami can't get away from his grip.

"Listen, kid. I don't wanna cause any trouble for you since what I heard from the teachers this morning." Jyabura tells her. "But if you keep this thing up, he's going to-"

Jyabura was interrupted because out of nowhere, a briefcase was sent flying toward Jyabura and hits him on the head. He then was about to fall as he let go of Ami's arms.

"-Kick my ass…" He finished as he landed on the ground out cold.

They looked to where the direction of the briefcase had flew and discovered that it was Lucci that threw his own briefcase at Jyabura from a far distance. Ami was amazed but she has to look away since she agreed with Kaku and Kalifa to ignore him.

"You still pick on her when my back is turned, aren't you Jyabura?" Lucci said to him when he came close to pick up his briefcase.

When he has his briefcase on his hand, he turned to see Ami but she turned away to avoid eye contact with him. She stood up, picked up her briefcase and leaves. She survived the temptation to look but it's for the best.

"Why won't you accept her apology?" Kalifa asked him.

"You know the reason why, Kalifa." He replied to her while he is not looking.

"But if this keeps up, something bad will happen that you will regret."

Kalifa then run to Ami as Kaku followed her. Before the three could disappear in his sight, Ami took one look at him. They remained in contact for a while until they looked away and head off to different directions.

* * *

**For the next chapter, it will reveal the reason why is it called 'A Song Never Forgotten' in the first place. Or was it I already revealed it back in the first one? Wait, what? 0_0 **


	5. Chapter 4

**Alright guys, here's the rep: Starting from this month till now, I will be submitting two chapters a month to make things a little smoother. **

**And this chapter more story than talking. So don't be disappointed. Questions will be answered if I see your reviews.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece or it's characters, except Ami, Gousho and Gefron.**

* * *

**A Song Never Forgotten**

**Chapter 4**

The night was dark on the island; this is the time where everyone should be asleep underneath the dark ebony night. Somewhere in the tower; a room was brightly lit through the window, beyond the dormitories that can be a small light from down below.

In the room, young adults and instructors are inside training at this time of hour. Gefron and Gousho are inside the room observing the older students in their training. It wasn't very long until an instructor made a match-up fight.

A lean young man comes forth and is prepared wit tremendous energy, the other students back away to make some room for the fight. Rob Lucci came forth and this made the young man nervous and scared immediately when he saw his face. Fear shakes his body for he have heard some grim rumors that whenever Lucci fights, he shows almost no mercy.

The two just stood there while the young man swallowed his courage to fight until the instructor gave the signal and the match has begun. Lucci used Rankyaku on him but the guy used Kami-e to get out of the way but with Soru, Lucci reappeared right behind the guy and used a barricade of Shigans on him (It's like Lucci's move Shigan: Ouren.)

The man fell unconscious but luckily for him, the man used Tekkai before the blows could hit him. Some of the students and instructors clapped for him, for he won this match.

"Splendid! Just splendid!" Gousho said to Gefron "If this boy becomes excellent soon, he will be part of the World Government in to time!"

"Absolutely, Gousho" Gefron replied "There is no one in the world that could overthrow Rob Lucci!"

"A splendid performance," The instructor came forth. "Because of Rob Lucci's excellence in Rokushiki, he is excused for tonight. The rest of you will continue training until one in the morning."

The room was filled with groans and colorful languages; it wasn't long enough until the instructor pulled out a whip and cracked it. Then the room was silenced.

"Anyone of you here who complains shall be taught a good lesson of respect and pain." The instructor warned them.

Lucci somehow smirked at this when he heard the last part of that man's words. The instructors told him to go as he is heading towards the locker room.

"That was a splendid performance, Lucci." Gousho said "We hoped to see more of it."

"Good. Because you do know you kept your part of the deal once I'm able to finish my Rokushiki training." Lucci replied.

"Ah, yes," Gousho hesitated. "We will teach you that technique."

When Lucci is gone, Gefron spoke to him. "You're not going to teach him that aren't you? The boy is still young!"

"What choice do we have anyway?"

Somewhere in the hallway, Lucci is walking alone as his footsteps filled the silent void to heard for his room. As he walked, he thought about what happened this morning and this afternoon. The time when Ami has that look in her eye at class, like an empty abyss or deep shadows in the blue sea.

His thinking didn't last long for he heard something in the hall; he hides himself on one of the pillars that supports the ceiling from someone. It is a stranger? Or an intruder? What he does know is that he will kill that intruder who might be invading in the island at this time at hour.

He took a small look behind the pillar and was surprised that it was Ami, where she is beyond his reach and location. Ami closed the door slowly as if she doesn't wasn't someone to wake up inside, then she looked both ways in the hallway to make sure there is no one looking for her.

Then she bent down and picked up a brown box that is rectangular and small in size. He noticed that the box is wooden and has brass studs on the edges of the box. What was she doing at this late hour with that box? Then she began to leave at the opposite direction where Lucci is. He has no other choice but to follow her without getting caught.

He has to hide from pillar to pillar so he can get closer to her until Ami opened a window and jumped out along with the box that is still on her hand. Aware of her safety, he looks out from the window and saw her used Geppou twice to cushion her fall. She didn't manage to do a third Geppou step so she landed on the ground.

She got off from the ground as soon as she can and looks up to see nothing on the window(Lucci knows when she stood up from the ground, there are chances that she'll look up to see if there's someone in the window. So he hides until Ami leaves)

"Meep! The box!" Ami yelped "Where is it? Where did it go?"

She looked around on the surroundings until she found it peeking out from a bush near her, she picked it up and begun running towards the woods. He can spy on her from the window and jumped off as well. Fortunately, he used Geppou to go down easily and he landed on his feet. He can still see her going through the forest.

"Where are you going?" He muttered.

Then he continues to follow her trail inside the forest, hoping to find out where she is going or what is she doing. Ami keeps moving forward without noticing Lucci is behind her. He has to hide from tree to bush and try to catch up with her. If Ami is planning to leave the island tonight he will stop at nothing to get her back.

It wasn't long until he found her in an open space of the forest where the moon glistens from the sky luminating the forest, she was near to a large boulder and she used her Geppou to jump on top of the boulder and she sat down on it.

She began to open the box by unlocking its padlock; Lucci could see what she is doing right from behind a tree. When it was fully opened, she reached her hand inside and took something out from it; much to his surprise it is a flute. A wind flute that is in ivory color and it's 13-inched in length that is long enough to show that it has 7 small holes.

_Ami, has a flute?_ He thought with surprise.

She took small deep breaths and then, she starts playing it. Underneath the bright, luminous glow of the moon, lies a little girl playing a song that is not heard before sitting on the boulder with poise. He still stands there near the tree, astonished and amazed that he didn't knew that Ami could play an instrument and perform such a beautiful song.

Ami continues to play until she made a slip, muttered with her mouth because of the mistake that she made. He noticed that she took out an object so familiar from her pocket; it was the red notebook that he found and saw that Ami is writing and erasing something inside its pages with a pencil.

She began playing again with her flute, it is the same song but this time she added something new to it, making it sounded well. Lucci found the reason why she 'over slept last night' since yesterday, Ami was practicing with her flute in secret.

"I see now." He said to himself.

Seeing that the night is getting late, this force him to leave this small and head back to the tower without alarming his presence to Ami.

When he reached to the tower, he used Geppou to get up and reached to the open window for where he came. He looked back at the horizon, down at the forest where Ami is, all alone playing with her flute to nobody. Lucci walked away from the window leaving it open, hopefully she will comeback after she's done playing.

"I'm willing to keep your secret, Ami." He said when he walked away.

* * *

**That's it for chapter 4! Now get ready for the next chapter which contains action in it!**

**And when the next chapter is up, keep waiting until March for chapters 6-7.  
**


	6. Chapter 5

**Whoo, sorry for the big delay folks! I just got so many things that are happening in my way but I finally got this one done with. I hope you enjoyed it! **

**But as for a little note here, a long flash back consists of two lines instead of one and the flashback is to be in italic. Hope you love this!  
**

* * *

**A Song Never Forgotten**

**Chapter 5: **

Two days has passed. Lucci is on his way to class from outside while he is carrying his briefcase on his hand. It's been two days since he discovered Ami's secret and he hasn't told anyone what he had discovered from the girl. He was still walking when he heard someone calling his name.

"Lucci!"

He looked back to see Ami coming closer to him, he stopped so she could catch up with him. When she's close, she stopped so she can breathe for air.

"Catch your breath first." He tells her.

"Okay," She said until she can breathe properly. "I'm good."

Then the two went inside and they approach to the room for their class today. There is silence between them; Ami doesn't like silence. She hates the silence.

"Lucci," She called out to the boy to get his attention. "Do you really have to throw your briefcase at Jyabura-nii the other day? I head the clinic nurse said that his bruise was so swollen it would take more than a couple of days to get it healed. And it's very visible."

She heard him chuckled a little when she told him about Jyabura's injury.

"It serves him right." He said.

"It's not funny!" Ami protested, showing concern for the poor man.

"He's trying to hurt you, isn't he?" Lucci asked her.

But she went back to the dreary silence again after hearing that question. Whenever Ami is in trouble, Lucci would always get her out of it. Somehow this is turning quite boring to him and not to mention she has the right to protect herself.

"I hope you remembered it." Lucci said to her.

"Huh?" Ami bluntly said.

"The match this coming Thursday?"

Ami's eyes grew wide when hearing that last statement. Once a year in five different months, the headmasters would host a match to all students from the higher years to the skillful lowest of the island. Whoever is the winners if the match would be promoted as agents to the World Government or perhaps reach a different year depending how good the lower years students are.

Ami couldn't believe that she could forget an important event that is coming up very soon. And to make manners worst, she is one of the chosen candidates.

"You are hesitating. I guess you've forgotten about it, right?" He asked her.

Ami then began to stammer until she dashed off to the classroom without looking back.

"That foolish girl…" He sighed as he walked towards the meted classroom.

* * *

Thursday came.

Students gathered from all of the sections to the arena that has been set up days ago to either watch or to participate the match. Gefron and Gousho watched the crowd from a high stand to get a glimpse of the entire stage of the arena. The judges below are the man with the black suit and glasses; the old woman in her late 50's and the man with the black cowboy hat and sunglasses.  
All of the three were sitting down on the chairs with one table right in front of them. A red firework had shot out to the sky and exploded in scarlet and crimson colors. The crowd's roar echoed the island, indicating that the match has begun.

The chosen students came out from the opened gate and assembled in one straight line; facing in front of the judges. The known students from the line are Rob Lucci, Ami, Kaku, Kalifa, Jyabura and Fukuro. The crowd silences once Gousho and Gefron stood up.

"Children and adults from our island; I hereby declared this match to begin!" Gousho said in the mighty voice as the crowd cheered in respond.

"Let us start with the first match!" Gefron followed after Gousho.

"This is it." Ami gulped in air.

"You'd better give a good performance Ami," Lucci whispered "Unlike the last match's fight where you didn't."

"I know that…"

* * *

In the match, everything happened so fast. In a fight, Fukuro is up against a tall man wearing kabuki make-up as he tried to use his Soru to gain a close range to the kabuki man.

"RANKYAKU: RENGE!" The young man turned to Fukuro's direction and with his strong legs, he used both to create random crescent shapes of the wind blades.

The blades reached to the round teenager but even though he used Tekkai on his ground, the strength of the other blades kept pushing him until he broke his stand.

"CHAPAPA!" Fukuro was sent back at the ring but his consciousness brought him sense when he was at the edge.

He quickly gained balanced and he grinned when he made it at the edge of the ring before he was pushed off by Kumadori by a kick at the head.

"The winner of match no. 12 is Kumadori!" The referee announced the results to the entire arena.

"Yoi-yoi! _Feeeaar the roar of the mighty Lioon!_" Kumadori made his Kabuki pose which gained more cheering from the crowd.

* * *

In the middle of the next round where Jyabura is, he used Tekkai on himself while he dashed towards the young teenage opponent with a peculiar hairstyle that is in the shape of a bull's horns. The teenager used Kami-e to dodge all of the moves that Jyabura threw at on him, until he used Shigan on him, but Jyabura blocked it by grabbing his arm.

"Heh, it looks like that you've been training a lot, Blueno." Jyabura commented.

"I appreciate the comment," Blueno threw Jyabura away from the circle that they are fighting. "But you should pay attention to your opponent's next move."

"Jyabura is out of the arena!" The referee pointed out "The winner of match no. 13 is Blueno!"

"Dammit!"

* * *

In the next fight, a big man that is nearly 8 feet tall in his early 20's came to the ring with a ling sword.

"It looks like this match is mine, shorty!" The man said to Kaku, who was only wielding a bokken.

"Doesn't the teacher say that 'you shouldn't judge your opponent's appearance'?" Kaku asked him innocently.

"I don't give a damn what the teach's say! The man swings his sword at the boy.  
But knowing this obvious move, Kaku managed to use Soru before the blade could even touch him, Soon the boy appeared in the air with the bokken swing high up and swunged it at the Tall man's head. The man swaggered from the impact, but stood again when he regained the hit.

"LITTLE BRAT!" He punched at the boy with a heavy fist.

Kaku, even though he managed to use Tekkai which is weak, received the punch on his abdomen that would kill a regular child. He can feel the pain but used the Soru technique to escape more from the impact. He vanished again, and his opponent turned his head to all directions where the little boy will be.

Kaku again reappeared and this time with confidence, jumped as high as he can to perform a move that he dubbed his favorite.

"RANKYAKU!" The boy aimed the blades at the back of the tall man.  
The tall man turned where the boy is and this caused him to have minor and the sword was cut into two.

"You want to lose your life here? This is a match, boy! FIGHT LIKE A MAN!" The man goaded him.

"What are you talking about? My move just started earlier ago before you turned around." Kaku landed on the arena with a smile on his face; a smile that reads: it's fun.

Realizing what the boy said, he turned around too late when the other Rankyaku blades sliced his body where he dealt the damage. But before he could fall, he was hit right in the back that is strong enough to push him out of the arena ring; the boy used his Bokken to hit his back with all of his strength.

"And to tell you the truth, I am fighting like a man!" Kaku stated even though the man is knocked out cold.

"The winner of match no. 14 is Kaku!" The referee said.

"Do you think that boy will grow up to be a Rankyaku expert?" Gousho asked Gefron beside him.

"I believe he will be." Gefron replied.

* * *

"I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!" Kaku wailed at the top of his lungs. His hands are holding two pieces of a broken Bokken which he used to fight against the tall man earlier. "THAT GUY BROKE MY FAVORITE BOKKEN! WAAAA, THIS SUCKS!"

"At least you didn't lose your life out there, idiot!" Kalifa is rubbing against her bruise that is in her cheek. "You'd get to be in the next round, while I don't."

"Where's Ami? Is she ready for her fight?" Kaku turned to his classmate where he quickly recovered from his wailing.

"She's over there, I'd bet she'd be a nervous wreck right now." Kalifa pointed to the left direction.  
The children are in the fighter's lounge, where students that are participating are waiting for their turn to fight while they talk to each other and prepare their equipment. Kaku was streaming through all of the other fighters until he found Ami, sitting on a bench.

"Ami, are you nervous?" The little boy asked her.

"Well, kinda. From what I heard you won this round, right?" Ami asked him.

"The guy was cocky after all. But I won't forgive him for destroying my bokken! His body made it broke in two after the fight…"

"Hooray for the little kids and their winnings…" Jyabura sarcastically said while holding an icepack on his head. "I sure hope that you really make it in the match so far."

"_Don't look down Jyabura-san!_" Kumadori strike a kabuki pose. He swayed his staff to make the effect along with the drums (that he played in his head). "Yoi-yoi! _When a man fails to make his crops stay under the warm summer sun, then he will raise his head and muster again all he has so he will have a bountiful feast when they are in bloomed!_"

"Ooh! Nice one, Kumadori!" Ami and Kaku clapped their hands for amusement.

"Yeah, whatever…" Jyabura leaned back.

"If your that upset then you have to wait for the another match that is coming up again in two months from now." Kalifa joined the group.

"Yeah! Don't give up Jyabura-nii! You'll get a chance to kick their butts!" Ami waved her arms excitedly.

"Ami, don't wave around like that. It's embarrassing…" Kalifa sweatdropped.

"… There is one thing I don't get," Jyabura looked at the two girls in front of him.

"Huh?" Both Ami and Kalifa are confused.

"How is it that Kalifa is more mature than Ami, and Ami is more childish than Kalifa?" Jyabura is pointed at the girls.

"OI!" Both girls slapped on the air with their hands.

"Contestants for match no. 15, please approach to the main arena in about 5 minutes." A den-den mushi intercom from the upper corner of the lounge announced.

"Match no. 15?" Ami is wandering about that upcoming match.

Until she made a sudden realization that made the girl gasp in horror.

* * *

In the main arena, a young man in his late teens approached to the arena; ready to fight against his upcoming opponent. He is determined and silent as he ignored the crowd's roar from above. Gousho and Geffron from above waited anxiously for the young man's competitor, but the two old men bore sweat from their heads out of fear.

"It's his time, Isn't it?" Geffron asked him.

"Indeed. Despite that he isn't here yet, I can feel a deep aura of his presence." Gousho replied back.  
Then the referee heard footsteps down from the dark entrance of the arena's gate. The footsteps sounded louder and louder until a figure came out from the darkness.

Rob Lucci made his way to the arena as the crowd suddenly stopped shouting, some of the spectators in the front row evacuated so they won't get hurt by the dangerous young boy. Lucci stood his ground when he finally arrived at his place in the ring.

"I'd like to make one request…" Lucci spoke to the referee.

"What is it?" The referee asked him.

Lucci looked up and saw both the headmaster's faces were filled with anxiety. He recalled the day what those old men promised him when is going to participate for this match.

* * *

_"We told you for the last time Rob Lucci," Gousho told him in the clinic. "You cannot participate the match this coming week with that injury."_

_This happened two months ago. Rob Lucci only suffered with a sprained wrist from a special mission given by the headmasters._

_In rare occasions and if the conditions are met, the headmasters would select random students who did or did not do well to take the opportunity to participate in a mission that is related to the World Government._

_"Though you are lucky enough that it isn't a real broken bone injury, otherwise you will require a long time for it to heal." Gefron complimented._

_"Don't you dare say I'm weak," Lucci said when he stroked his sprained left arm that has a cast to protect it. "I'm still disappointed that I won't participate with a weak injury."_

_"Calm yourself, boy!" Gousho said in an angry tone. "There is always the other match that is coming this next two months, that way you will get your chance to fight again. But in the meantime, get yourself healed from that injury."_

_"Fine. But there is one thing you have to let me gain permission in…"_

_"What are you requesting, Rob Lucci?" _

* * *

"I want to declare this match," Lucci spoke in a grim tone. "A death match."  
Shocked was delivered to the referee, the competitor and the audience. The audience murmured and shouted with curses and complaints of his declaration.

"This is an outrage! This is unacceptable!" The referee shouted.  
He turned his back to the judges and the headmasters for their decision on Lucci's request.

"Please tell him that this is not accepted!"  
The headmasters are both silent when their heads bowed down until one of the judges who turned out to be the old woman in her late 50's said: "Let the boy… do what he wants."

The referee was shocked again this time with disgusts on her statement. _You've all got to be kidding me…_

The spectators still shout and swear but the man in his late teens showed no emotion at all, even when he is this close to Lucci. Then the referee raised his hand with regret and said:

"Let the match… Begin!"

Then suddenly Lucci and his opponent disappeared as the crowds stop shouting but it reduced into a murmur. The referee used Soru to get out as fast as he can so he won't get involved with a grim fight.  
Then the arena was now filled with high-speed Rankyaku blades but the blades of wind ended up smashing against each other, the spectators saw two shadowy figures using Geppou on mid-air and the figures ended up colliding with each other. They landed on the ground so fast, creating a large dust cloud as the high-pressured winds of the impact spread in the arena; making the spectators feel them.

Through the dust cloud, the silent man and Lucci began fighting close combat. They both threw at each other punches and kicks but avoiding and blocking at the same time. The crowd cannot bear to watch for this round is a death match.

It wasn't long until Lucci was cut in the face when he avoided the man's long finger-nailed Shigan; seeing that he has his own blood trickled on his face, he grabbed the man's head, hit him hard at the abdomen by his knee and threw him with force. The crowd groans at this moment.

"This is not going to end well, why can't anyone stop Lucci? Shao!" A kid with weasel-looking face cried out loud.

"No one can. I heard that Lucci got upset since two months ago that he couldn't participate the last match, due to an injury." Fukuro said to him. "Everyone knows that if he's interrupted in a fight, he can be very deadly and violent; despite the fact that he's still a minor."

"Where is that girl that always hangs out with him? Why can't she stop him?"

"Ami-chan is a contestant! If she does that, she'll be disqualified!"  
Lucci used his Soru to dash forward to his opponent, using two of his hands to create a barrage of Shigans so when he gets close to his opponent there will be multiple blows waiting to pierce every part of his body.

The silent man emerges from the rubble of his fall and used Tekkai to block out his attack. Lucci's Shigans are now hitting him on ever spot on his upper body, creating so much force on the man's Tekkai ability; until one Shigan move pierced him on his upper left shoulder. Another soon followed piercing him on the chest.

"Oh god, he's not gonna make it!" The weasel-faced boy said with his hands covering his mouth.

Then Lucci started throwing brutal blows so violently, making his hands coated with blood. He kicked his chin upward and threw in another barrage of shigans. After the final strike, his opponent fell back and lay there on the ground; motionless.

Lucci was now gasping for air. After throwing that much on his opponent, getting blood on himself and his hands. Seeing the blood, the crowd was now screaming in fear, and the Headmasters couldn't do anything.

"T-th-the winner of this match: Rob Lucci!" The referee was too frightened.

Lucci walked away towards the exit of the arena with a disturbing smirk on his face.

"Incredible, just incredible." The man with the sunglasses said.

"How can a young boy get so much bloodlust? We'll never know." The old woman followed.

* * *

Lucci ignored going to the fighter's lounge; he cannot let them look at him after what he has done. He's in a mess, a bloody mess. He continued to walk away from them until he heard a gasp in front of him.

He looked and saw it was Ami in front of him. She cringed, her mouth open with fear, seeing the blood dripping down from his hands.

"To fight evil, we have to become evil ourselves." Lucci reminded her. "If we allow evil to escape, what kind of justice will it be?"

Ami looked down at the ground.

"Humans are meant to feel, weren't they?" Ami asked him.

"I didn't ask for your opinion." He then walked past her, leaving her alone again.

* * *

**Stay tuned for more that will come up soon!**

**Rob Lucci and the familiar characters from One Piece belong to Eichiiro Oda! I don't own them except Ami and some other characters.  
**


End file.
